The McGill Big 3 and other protocols for a pain-proof back
Spine expert Stuart McGill, Huberman's back episode and Kelly Starrett agree that back pain usually responds to core stiffness training, avoiding the provoking movement and restoring daily movement, not sit-ups or surgery. It gives a zero-cost starting plan for one of the most common complaints of aging.
What are the three steps of the shared starting plan for back pain? Show answer
Stop the movement or load that provokes pain, build core stiffness with the McGill Big 3, and restore daily movement.
Why does Stuart McGill reject the question of what causes back pain? Show answer
There are more than a hundred pathways and mechanisms, so there is no single cause and no single fix.
How does McGill find the mechanism of someone's pain? Show answer
He deliberately provokes it with specific motions, postures and loads; if he cannot provoke it, it is not mechanical.
What are the McGill Big 3? Show answer
The curl-up, the side plank and the bird dog, chosen for building stability while sparing the spine.
Why does core stiffness matter, according to McGill? Show answer
A stiff torso prevents energy leaks so force goes to the limbs, like a backhoe setting its stabilizers before digging.
How is the curl-up performed, in Huberman's description? Show answer
On your back with one knee bent and hands under the lower back, lift the upper chest five to ten degrees and hold hard eight to ten seconds.
Why can crunches worsen back pain, per Huberman? Show answer
They squeeze the front of the vertebrae together and can push an already bulging disc further out onto a nerve.
What is McGill's walking rule? Show answer
Do not walk to pain; if 40 minutes hurts but 20 does not, walk 20 minutes three times a day.
What did McGill's lab find about sitting? Show answer
Sitting does not injure a healthy spine; it hurts when there is existing damage, and a lumbar support helps.
What relieved Huberman's own posterior disc bulge? Show answer
Cobra push-ups prescribed by a physical therapist, after crunches had made it worse; he notes there was no control experiment.
What does Kelly Starrett recommend for restoring movement? Show answer
Sitting on the ground 20 to 30 minutes each evening and restoring hip extension with the couch stretch and loaded training.
When should you see a clinician instead of relying on these basics? Show answer
With red flags such as fever or unexplained weight change, or pain that is severe, radiates down a leg or persists for weeks.